Marcel Maghiar

Exploration of Student Perceptions, Behaviors and Academic Performance in Construction Management Classes

To improve student success, instructors need to understand how students feel about their own learning and how much responsibility the students take for it. This information is crucial to teaching and to the development of more effective courses. Yet, very often, instructors in higher education focus on content learning exclusively. While summative assessment of learning in these courses is important, content learning is not the only measure of educational outcomes. This study used an instrument-surveying tool in which the Course Valuing Inventory (CVI) was adapted for Construction Management (CM) courses to evaluate cognitive-content, affective-personal and behavioral learning in students taking these courses. The study also examined the relationship between course valuing scores, Approaches to Study Inventory (ASI), and course performance. Results indicated that the CVI can be adapted for use in CM courses. Multiple regressions run in this exploratory study predicting final course grade from seven predictor variables (student class standing, student self-reported GPA, whether the course was required for the student’s major, likelihood of student continuing with their current major, grade that student anticipated receiving in the course, ASI score, and CVI score), revealed that six of the variables were significant predictors of final course grades.

Web3D graphics enabled through sensor networks for cost-effective assessment and management of energy efficiency in buildings

The past decade has seen the advent of numerous building energy efficiency visualization and simulation systems; however, most of them rely on theoretical thermal models to suggest building structural design for new constructions and modifications for existing ones. Sustainable methods of construction have made tremendous progress. The example of the German Energy-Plus-House technology uses a combination of (almost) zero-carbon passive heating technologies. A web-enabled X3D visualization and simulation system coupled with a cost-effective set of temperature/humidity sensors can provide valuable insights into building design, materials and construction that can lead to significant energy savings and an improved thermal comfort for residents, resulting in superior building energy efficiency. A cost-effective hardware-software prototype system is proposed in this paper that can provide real-time data driven visualization or offline simulation of 3D thermal maps for residential and/or commercial buildings on the Web. Display Omitted

X3D sensor-based thermal maps for residential and commercial buildings

There are many building energy simulation systems on the market today; however, most of them rely on theoretical thermal models to make decisions on the building structural design and modifications. Sustainable methods of construction have made tremendous progress in the recent decades. The example of the German Energy-Plus-House technology uses a combination of (almost) zero-carbon passive heating technologies. A web-enabled X3D simulation system coupled with a cost-effective set of temperature/humidity sensors can provide valuable insights into building design, materials and construction that can lead to significant energy savings, an improved thermal comfort for residents and improved efficiency. We propose a cost effective hardware-software prototype system that can provide real data driven 3D thermal maps for residential buildings. The system can easily scale to provide 3D thermal maps for large commercial buildings.

Technology Ontology and BIM-Enabled Estimating for Owners and Contractors

A database of construction methods can help select the optimal approach to building a construction project. To be useful, such a database should be integrated with BIM, and thus, be based on a consistent methodology to define and classify construction methods. Contractors’ are confronted with problems in selecting proper construction methods and applying their knowledge about specific and well-defined technologies to a project. This paper proves empirically that selecting the right methods using one of the technologies available for multiple activities would create accurate costs when not only materials are priced, but also right equipment and available labor. This way, owners can efficiently demand deliverables that can be utilized by them downstream, allowing Contractors and subcontracting trades to work efficiently and to assure the daily flow of operations.

Developing a Knowledge Based Information System (KISCCES) for Construction Cost Estimating and Scheduling

The research project is to develop a Knowledge-Based Information System for Construction Cost Estimating and Scheduling (KISCCES). To accomplish the research goal, the researchers develops a prototype project management system that can produce pictorial data to all involved parties, cost and schedule in nearly realtime basis. The scope of the research project includes transferring pictorial data via the wireless network, measuring construction productivity using time-lapse video, and developing a graphical user interface for cost estimating and scheduling. The tasks for this project are outlined as follows: conduct literature review, purchase necessary software and hardware, define measurement data for each activity, conduct field experiments in construction projects to transmit time-lapse video wirelessly and consistently, and develop a prototype graphical user interface to estimate cost and duration on a nearly real-time basis. Upon development of the KISCCES, the researchersevaluatethe estimated cost and schedule by statistically comparing it with estimates by construction industry experts.